


Bleed like me

by M155_C0nfu510n



Category: Ao no Exorcist | Blue Exorcist
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Fluff to the max, I just want them to be happy, M/M, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Worried younger brother Yukio is precious, mentions of cutting, there's some angst, things get cute fast though
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-09
Updated: 2017-07-16
Packaged: 2018-11-30 01:39:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,244
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11453313
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/M155_C0nfu510n/pseuds/M155_C0nfu510n
Summary: The whole point of sharing your scars with your soulmate is so you have a better chance of finding them. But Rin's skin erases any evidence of injury, leaves him a blank canvas with foggy memories of the many scars that should litter his body. Maybe that's why he's so surprised to notice Ryuuji that day, bandages spotted red along his forearm.





	1. Bleed Like Me

**Author's Note:**

> Here's another of my works moved over from ff, and probably one of my faves in all honesty. I love this pairing and I loved the idea. I hope you guys enjoy it as much as I do.

 

“Damn it, Kuro!” Rin’s voice echoed through the kitchen as he clutched his bleeding thumb, blood slipping through his fingers and making small puddles around his feet.

The demon glared at the cat who was rubbing at the back of his head with a paw, a mental ‘ _Sorry, Rin_ ’ passing through his head. Rin sighed and moved towards the sink, running water over the slowly healing skin and watching as nary a mark was left.

“Nii-san! Are you alright?” Yukio burst through the door to the kitchen, one hand holding his gun as the other held the door open.

Rin only waved him off, bending down to pick the knife off the floor and continue with dinner. Ukobach watched quietly from the top of the fridge, his tail flicking lazily as he watched Rin move around his domain.

It had been a few days since their initial fallout, but they had reached a calm point- Ukobach taking breakfast and occasionally lunches and Rin being in charge of dinner, if he had the time that is.

“I feel bad for your soulmate, who knows how many scars they have thanks to you.” Yukio chuckled at the slight jab, but caught the way Rin tensed, his grip on the knife tightening minutely. He immediately stopped and pushed away from the counter, approaching his twin and placing a hand on his shoulder. “Rin it was just a joke, you’ll find them one day. Just be patient.”

Rin sighed as he loosened his grip on the knife and continued to chop at the meat, putting it in the pan unconsciously before moving on to the vegetables.

“I know, Yukio. It’s just….it feels like everyone’s already found theirs and I’m still looking. What’s worse is they could be from either realm. What am I supposed to do if they’re a demon?” Rin’s voice steadily decreased in volume, the demon setting down the knife as he leaned on the counter.

It sucks to know that everyone in his family had found their soulmates already- screw the fact that Yukio found his the first day of class. It surprised them all when Renzo cried out in shock at the same time Yukio hissed from a papercut of all things- now _that_ was a fun day.

Yukio squeezed his brother’s shoulder comfortingly before pushing him away from the kitchen, he obviously wasn’t in the right mind to be cooking right now. Yukio nodded his thanks as Ukobach jumped from the fridge and took Rin’s place by the counter, the demon nodding in return before continuing his job.

Dinner was a quiet affair that night, Rin having drawn into himself after that conversation in the kitchen. Yukio knew the importance of one’s soulmate, it took the pressure away from _everything_ , left you feeling more at peace even as the world seemed to fall apart around you.

And Rin _needed_ his. Yukio knew his brother never had time to properly mourn their ‘father’s’ death, never had time to fully adapt to his powers, never had time to better understand this new world he was now a part of, so it hurt to see the usually tough twin withering day by day under the strain of school, his powers, and loneliness.

“I’m turnin’ in early, Yukio. Night.”

Yukio watched his brother walk away with pain in his eyes, hoping to whatever god was out there that Rin would find his happiness soon.

* * *

“Bon, ya know the answer to number 12?” Renzo rolled onto his stomach as he looked at his roommate, the brunet staring at his hand while biting his lip. Renzo quirked a brow as he pushed his notebook away, moving into a sitting position as he stared at his friend. “Bon? You alright, man?”

The brunet finally tore his gaze away from his hand, wincing as he tried to move his thumb. Renzo’s expression morphed into one of worry as he approached the taller teen, sitting beside him as he watched a thin line mar the skin along his thumb and palm. The pinket sighed as he watched Bon run his fingers over the new scar, one of many.

“How have you not found your soulmate yet? I mean seriously they get hurt enough for the both of you.” Bon sighed as he flopped back on his bed, wincing as a pencil poked him in the back.

“Hell if I know, but I’m getting sick of this shit….” Bon threw an arm over his eyes while the other rested on his stomach, rubbing over past scars (none of which were _his_ ) that marred his once flawless flesh. “I’m gonna finish my homework in the morning, you can use what I finished if you need it.”

Bon stood and began changing as Renzo grabbed his notebook and returned to his bed. He raised his eyes from the homework when Bon removed his shirt, Renzo flinching at the many scars- some pink and jagged, some so faded they almost blended with the skin- that littered the other’s torso.

“This doesn’t make any sense, Bon. At the rate this is going, you’re gonna end up dead before you find them.” Bon barely spared his roommate a glance, turning to face the wall as he shut his eyes.

“I know.”

Renzo didn’t comment. Bon had already fallen asleep.

* * *

“Stupid, fucking soulmate. Stupid, fucking Satan. Stupid, fucking _everything_.”

Rin hissed as his nails dragged along his wrist, blood rising along the parallel cuts before they sealed themselves a few moments later. He didn’t know what possessed him to take his anger out on his skin, only that the sight of unmarred flesh left him feeling angry- furious even!

He had locked himself in the bathroom after dinner, his quick shower turning into the aggressive assault of his wrist with too long nails, too _sharp_. He ignored the pain that spread along his red forearm, the only sign of his continued slashing. It always disappeared a moment later.

It took him a moment to stop, breathing heavily as he glared at his wrist, the skin reverting back to its usual pale, the blood swirling down the drain.

Rin finally seemed to realize what he’d done after the last of the blood was washed away, eyes widening as he hurriedly shut off the water and left the stall.

He dried and dressed quickly, returning to his and Yukio’s shared room and collapsing into his bed with damp hair. He ignored the fact that his pillow would be soaked through the night and shut his eyes, willing consciousness away if only to escape the knowledge of what he’d just done.

* * *

Bon groaned as the sun shined in his eyes, rolling over only to hiss and sit up. He looked at his arm in confusion only for his expression to morph into that of horror.

Those….weren’t scars. Bon raised a tentative hand and lightly ran his fingers over the angry red marks, hissing as pain shot up his forearm.

“Renzo wake the hell up!” The pinket squeaked as he rolled off of his bed, glaring at his roommate as he rubbed at the growing bump on his head.

“Jeez, Bon, why can’t ya be quiet. Class don’t start for another two hours.” Renzo groaned at the ungodly hour, the sun barely illuminating the room with its orange glow.

Bon growled as he kicked his sheet away and crouched before the prone teen, holding his arm up while keeping himself upright with the other.

“Ya want me to be quiet about this?” Renzo’s eyes widened at the marks that trailed along Bon’s forearm, surprised to see them squeezing out pearls of blood.

This wasn’t normal.

“Oh my god….”

Bon sighed as he fell on his behind, setting his injured arm gingerly in his lap. While those past injuries had been accidents- that much was obvious by the placement and random pattern- this was done on purpose.

He felt the different depths of the cuts, the jagged lines from when _whatever_ was used got caught and tore more than slices.

What surprised him was the anger behind the cuts. He knew cutters, knew that most of them did them cleanly and precisely, knew that a single mistake could be the difference between an escape and an ending. These were done clumsily, uneven, sure to cause maximum pain with enough bleeding to make a person pass out, even die if they were unlucky.

But he didn’t feel that empty feeling that accompanied the loss of one’s soulmate, just _pain_.

“Bon, you need to find them. This isn’t good….”

Bon returned to the world around him, determined eyes latching onto the shifting form of Renzo, the pinket wringing his hands together while worrying his bottom lip. The teen always did care too much about other people’s problems, regardless of the fact that he didn’t know half the people he worried about.

“I’ll talk to Okumura-sensei about going on leave for a while, but I doubt I’ll find them.” Bon sighed as he pushed himself off the floor, sitting on his bed as he stared at his injured arm.

“And if he doesn’t say yes?” Renzo tossed Bon a roll of bandages, the brunet catching them and nodding in thanks as he began wrapping his arm.

“Pray they find me.”

* * *

“Yuki-chan!”

Rin watched as his brother was tackled from the back, Renzo wrapping his arms and legs around his waist while laughing. He chuckled as he watched the spectacle, one that had become commonplace in the last few weeks.

“Yo, Okumura.” Rin turned to see Bon walking towards him, a hand raised lazily in greeting. What really caught the demon’s eyes was the bandages wrapped around the brunet’s forearm, the stark white standing out against his tanned skin.

“What happened to you?” Rin couldn’t stop himself from running his fingers over his own forearm, the skin as unblemished as the day he was born.

Rin found it weird that Bon kept his arm close at the question, his other hand unconsciously rubbing the bandages. “More like what happened to somebody else….”

Though the words were mumbled, Rin heard them clearly, freezing up as he connected the pieces.

No. Not Bon. He didn’t show signs of being Rin’s soulmate, the bandages just had to be coincidence. So why did Rin feel like a rock had settled into his gut, his mouth twisting as he tried to hold back his growing nausea.

“Okumura? You alright?” Bon was staring at Rin with barely concealed worry, not used to the raven showing signs of illness. Rin nodded his head mutely, mumbling a quick apology before turning and walking in the direction Bon had approached from- the entrance of the school. Bon quirked a brow as Rin disappeared behind a corner, shrugging his shoulders as he returned his attention to the two teens before him. “Weirdo.”

* * *

He was sick. He was going to be sick. He was _scared_.

So many emotions were raging a war inside one Rin Okumura, the teen breathing heavily as he leaned against the front door of his dorm. He heard Kuro ask if he was okay, but ignored it as another wave of nausea passed through him, his knees buckling as he fell to the floor in an undignified heap.

This was wrong. _He_ was wrong. All this time and his soulmate had been under his nose.

He had always disregarded that calm that overcame him when Bon was near, thought it strange that the feeling seemed to magnify with every verbal war they had- a daily occurrence at this point.

Rin’s eyes fogged over as he remembered those few times that he and Bon had just sat, silence surrounding them and yet neither made to break it. A small smile pulled at his lips as the memory morphed to another, Bon’s strong proclamation of never fearing him regardless of the cursed blood that ran through his veins. The warmth that invaded his body after the thought left him feeling light headed and airy, able to face any foe with energy to spare.

Rin’s mind then drifted to the teen’s injured arm, the injuries he inflicted on himself the night prior. He pulled slowly at the buttons of his uniform, blue eyes taking in his unmarred chest and darkening when he remembered the many scars he _should_ have.

A pale hand ran over the skin of his collarbone, imagining the jagged scar that should be there from an accident from his childhood. It moved next to a spot about an inch from his navel, where a group of kids had gotten daring during one of their attacks and used a knife on him.

His hand traced the entirety of his chest and yet he knew he only covered a portion of the scars he should have, his hand clenching in his lap at the thought.

Bon had the scars, all of them. All marring skin that should be as unblemished as his own, a patchwork of past injuries that were never inflicted on him.

Rin’s head fell into his knees, his arms wrapping loosely around the appendages as he wallowed in self pity.

Great, he found his soulmate and had been hurting him for years.

Good job, Rin….

“Okumura! Your brother’s said he’s gonna kick your ass if you don’t come to class now!” Rin raised his head from his knees with a chuckle- like Yukio would _ever_ say that- as he heard Bon shout through the door, he felt it shake a moment later from his banging. “I know you’re there asshole! The door’s barely moving so open up!”

Rin sighed as he rebuttoned his shirt, standing while running a hand through his hair. He took a deep breath before gripping the door handle, turning and opening it enough to peek through at the angry brunet.

“What do you want, Bon?” Rin’s voice was low, the raven almost smiling as he saw Bon’s features visibly soften at his tone.

He did care.

“Like I said, Okumura-sensei wants you in class now.” His voice was rough. Rin frowned as he closed his eyes, opening them a moment later with a bit more clarity.

“I’m not feelin’ so great. Tell him for me will ya?” Rin moved to shut the door, eyes widening in confusion when it didn’t budge.

He opened the door to see a foot caught between it and the wall, trailing up the leg and chest to the irritated expression of Bon, the brunet glaring at him with a _hint_ of malice. Rin was unprepared when Bon pushed on the door, stumbling backwards as the brunet moved into the dorm and shut the door.

Blue eyes connected with brown, both glaring and yet neither moving.

“What’s the deal asshole? I said I wasn’t feelin’ great!” Rin felt his flames push against the surface of his skin, wanting to join the inferno that was his emotions, burn through everything that left him feeling confused and frustrated.

“And I call bullshit. You don’t get sick and we both know that. So what’s the real reason, Okumura?” Rin growled as he turned on his heel and strode from the room, the rumbling in the back of his throat growing in volume as Bon followed a few steps behind.

He didn’t speak as he climbed the stairs, pushing into his and Yukio’s shared bedroom with barely concealed rage. He heard the clatter of Kurikara, the blade resting on the wall beside his bed- forgotten in his haste to leave earlier that morning. The raven moved towards his bed and fell face down on the mattress, pulling his pillow over his head to hopefully drown out the coming lecture.

“Wanna tell me what’s wrong now or ya gonna keep actin’ like a child?”

Sadly it was not meant to be, Bon’s voice filtering through the pillow like liquid. Rin cursed his over sensitive ears for ruining his pathetic escape.

He mumbled into his mattress, pillow held tighter as he burrowed into his blankets. He felt Bon’s penetrating gaze on his pillow-covered head. Hard not to really, his eyes always hardened like diamonds when he found something that caught his interest.

Rin blinked in his feathery cave. How long had he been noticing these minute details about the other teen? Long enough to delude himself into believing it was a healthy rivalry/friendship apparently….

Rin blinked as light assaulted his eyes, fingers gripping air as they fumbled above his head. He slowly turned to see Bon standing there with his pillow held loosely in his right hand, the other holding Kurikara.

“Gonna talk now? While I don’t have a problem missing school since I can easily make up my work, you do.”

Rin sat up and turned away from the brunet, crossing his arms over his chest as he glared at the wall. He ignored the way his bed dipped as Bon sat down, ignored the pillow that was replaced at the head of his bed, ignored the eyes that were burning holes in the back of his head.

Yup, didn’t feel them at all. That shiver was from the room being cold, definitely not because those eyes were killing him inside. He wasn’t even thinking of them- unmoving, unblinking, hardened.

“The fuck do you want from me!” He definitely handled that well, kept his frustrations to himself. Good job, Rin.

It irritated the raven that Bon had such control over him, could make him lose his cool with just a simple gaze- no matter how disconcerting it may be.

Bon’s eyes narrowed at Rin, the demon closing in on himself as his tail curled around his ankle. Rin cursed himself for allowing his emotions to run rampant like this, cursed the teen before him for starting it all. “Tell me what’s wrong with you and I’ll leave you alone.”

Bon’s tone left no room for argument, Rin growling at the even baritone before sighing. His eyes dulled as he gazed at the other’s face, blue eyes focusing on a miniscule mark on Bon’s chin- the thin line of skin slightly paler than the rest of his face.

“When I was four, I fell and cut my chin. I was running and tripped at the park.” Rin noticed Bon’s obvious confusion, eyes instead trailing to the teen’s exposed arm, namely the slightly distorted skin of his elbow. “When I was eight, I got into my first fight. Messed up my left elbow pretty bad when I fell.” Rin rubbed at the joints as phantom pains made themselves known.

“The fuck you goin’ on about, Okumura?” Rin fixed the irritated teen with sorrowful eyes, looking down as his legs as he continued.

“When I was nine, I fell out of a tree and landed wrong, fucked up my legs for a bit.” Rin saw Bon flinch through his bangs, choosing not to look up as he raised a hand to his clothed chest, fingers caressing a patch of skin below his ribs. “When I was twelve I got in a fight with those same kids from when I was eight, the bastards pulled a knife.”

Rin finally looked up when he heard Bon’s breath hitch, the brunet’s eyes wide as they darted from Rin to his bandaged arm.

Time ticked by slowly, Rin having explained his disappearance and Bon at a loss of words. It was when a minute finally ticked by that Bon reacted, furious brown eyes fixing on the silent teen with barely concealed rage.

“Are you fucking kidding me? Are you _fucking_ kidding me!?” Rin didn’t react as Bon wrapped his hand around his throat, slamming his head into the wall behind him. He only watched as a multitude of emotions flashed through those expressive orbs, ignoring his slowly fogging head as Bon continued his rant. “How could you? I thought you were stronger than that you stupid fucking idiot! Why the fuck would you hurt yourself like that?”

That...was not what he expected to hear.

Rin expected rage at the fact that he and Bon were soulmates, rage at the fact that Bon had to live with scars that weren’t his own, rage at everything _but_ the _one_ self-inflicted injury that started this whole mess. _‘Huh, maybe I should pay attention to his attitude more.’_

“I’m sorry?” Rin gasped as the hand fell from his throat, coughing slightly to refill his abused lungs and wincing at the slight sting in his throat.

“What the hell, Rin?” The demon turned guilty eyes to the teen next to him, Bon’s face covered by his hands, his elbows resting on his knees. The brunet’s tone was so...dead? Well, maybe not _that_ bad, but it was bad enough for Rin to feel physical pain at causing the teen so much anguish.

Crawling closer to his classmate, Rin sat petulantly on his knees, hands twining together in his lap. “I...I was hopeless, you know?” The demon saw the slight shift of the other through the corner of his eye, could feel those eyes practically burning holes into the side of his head. Taking a deep breath, Rin continued.

“You know what’s hard? Watching everyone you know find their soulmates with relative ease while you’re stuck there with nobody. Hell, before I got my powers, I thought I would only have to worry about finding my dream girl/guy and then I have to worry about demons too?” Rin sighed as he ran a hand through his hair. “Yukio said when he and Renzo ‘found’ each other, it was like something just clicked and he was suddenly feeling like he could do anything without having to worry of the outcome. He said Renzo took his fears away…”

Both teens were silent as Rin’s words hung in the air, the demon’s tail curling loosely around his wrist. “I wanted that so bad, I just...I don’t know. I didn’t know what I’d done till all the cuts were healed up and I was getting out the shower.” Rin looked at his unblemished forearm, feeling those penetrating eyes moving along the pale skin. “I was mad, Bon...I was so angry at myself and my freaking powers and just… everything.”

The room again descended into silence, Rin surprised to feel something drop on his arm. A closer look showed a drop of water sliding down the skin and soaking into the material of his jeans, a second quickly joining it and followed by a third and fourth. It was a startling realization for the demon to know he was crying, tears sliding silently and elegantly down his cheeks. The demon couldn’t bring himself to care that he was crying before his enemy turned soulmate, sniffling pitifully and rubbing at his eyes with his palms.

The demon jumped when he felt careful fingers pull his hands away from his eyes, blue orbs wide as he gazed into caring brown. It could’ve been the fact that Bon was connected to him on a spiritual level or maybe because his emotions were out of whack, but whatever the reason, Rin began to cry harder at the sudden calm that overcame him.

This was messed up. Bon shouldn’t be here comforting him while he bawled his eyes out like a child, the teen should be in class keeping his grades at the top of the class as usual, not even sparing him a glance. Rin’s thoughts came to a screeching halt at Bon’s soothing voice.

“Look at me.” Blue eyes slowly slipped open, Rin wondering when they had closed to begin with. Bon’s expression was soft, a slight upward tilt to his lips. “I don’t blame you, but I’ll be damned if I let you hurt yourself like this again.”

Rin couldn’t stop the broken chuckle from escaping, tears slowing until they stopped completely. The demon nearly purred as he leant further into the warm hand that was suddenly cupping his cheek, eyes slipping closed in contentment. So imagine his surprise when a sudden pain flared in the back of his skull, the demon cursing loudly as his hands raised to rub the ache away.

Teary eyes turned towards the smirking brunet who only shrugged, “That’s for fucking up my body and yours.” Rin pouted at the words but accepted them, mumbling a few obscenities under his breath as his hands dropped back to the mattress.

“Fine, I deserved it. Still hurts though.” Rin grumbled pitifully as he flicked at a loose string on his sheet. He nearly jumped at the fingers that were suddenly carding through his hair, looking at the brunet with wide eyes.

“I’m not gonna start actin’ all mushy like your brother and Renzou so don’t expect that, but I will ease up on the head shots.”

Rin smiled at the words, reaching up to tangle his fingers with Bon’s. “Fine, just know I’m clingy with people close to me.”

Bon’s grin was enough to put whatever worries Rin had to rest.

 


	2. Swing Life Away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's not much else to do now that they've found each other, so why not spend the day starting over? There's an unspoken promise between them, but that's all they need to ignore the past and focus on the future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome people that actually cared to read this far, how's life going? Hope all is well and that you enjoy this lovely, little chapter. I hope this isn't too much of a disappointment after the first chapter, though I do admit to liking this one better than the first. Maybe because I put more care into this, but whatever. I've ranted to you guys enough. Go forth and read the crap I throw out.

The silence that surrounded the duo was comfortable in a ‘we just had a huge revelation and can’t really be bothered to move’ kind of way. They had shifted into a position that, while new for both individuals, was undeniably comforting. Bon leaned against the wall at the head of Rin’s bed with the demon seated comfortably in his lap. Rin’s head was tucked under Bon’s chin while the brunette’s hands were tangled with Rin’s own- the demon happy to play with the slightly longer appendages.

It was only when Bon felt probing fingers run along the length of his pointer finger that he looked down at the teen stretched across his lap. “How’d you ever get that scar? The one here.” Bon couldn’t comprehend what Rin was talking about until he felt searching fingers run lightly over a patch of dimpled skin, tracing from the back of his knuckle to his nail.

“Ah, forgot about that one.” Bon shivered as Rin’s fingers continued to stroke the lighter strip of skin along his finger, “I think I was doing some cleaning around the temple when my finger got snagged on a nail. Dad flipped.”

The two took a moment to laugh at the thought, or in Bon’s case memory, of his father freaking out over the injury. They soon drifted back into a comfortable silence, one that both were loathe to break. But as the time dragged lazily like Rin’s fingers over the pinkening bandages on his forearm, Bon felt the need to break their quiet relaxation.

“We gotta go to class.” The responding groan brought a chuckle to Bon’s lips. It escalated into full blown laughter when Rin flopped fully on top of him, arms and legs wrapped securely around his middle, “You do know I can carry us both to class like this, right?”

“ _ Kinda hot _ .” Bon quirked a brow at the muffled words spoken into the neck of his shirt, rolling his eyes at the shiver that wracked Rin’s body as he tried to force himself into a sitting position. Rin’s automatic response was to tighten his grip on Bon’s chest with the added nuisance of wrapping his tail around one of the brunette’s legs. “Don’t make me goooooo! Today started off shitty enough and now it’s finally  _ good _ . Just...stay here.”

“Rin. You actually need to go to class.” Bon’s deadpanned words were met with more muffled words and an exaggerated groan, Rin’s grip tightening slightly. Rolling his eyes at the demon, Bon restarted his efforts to leave Rin’s bed and get the demon to school. He managed to sit up before Rin made a move that halted Bon in his sluggish movements.

“Please, can we stay Bon?” Rin coupled his soft spoken words with the brush of lips against Bon’s neck, his nose brushing against the brunette’s jaw teasingly. Bon, for his part, was lost within the intimate touches: the gentle brush of fingers along the edge of his bandages, the insistent press of Rin’s nose at the underside of his jaw, the comforting squeeze of Rin’s tail around his right knee. All of it was coalescing into a very convincing argument to avoid class for the day. 

The final nail in the figurative coffin was when Bon chanced a glance into Rin’s expressive blue eyes. Eyes pleading with him and threatening to overflow with tears.

Shit…

“Fine.” Bon flopped back on the bed in resignation, Rin’s cheeky smile not going unnoticed before he threw an arm over his eyes. Bon lifted his arm away a moment later, staring at the crown of Rin’s head with a slight frown, “Since I’m gonna be stuck here all day, you gonna provide food?”

Rin only hummed in acknowledgement before rubbing his cheek further into Bon’s chest, tail wagging happily above them. “I’ll make something in a minute.” Bon smiled at the soft spoken words, closing his eyes against the light from the overhead fluorescent and enjoying the moment for what it was.

The contentedness that washed through his body released tensions he didn’t know had accumulated since the school year began and Bon was only too happy to lose himself in the sensation of peace and completeness. Rin’s weight was a comfortable presence on his chest, almost like an anchor that kept Bon’s weightless body from drifting away from his new reality. The heat he could feel roving off the demon in waves would’ve been stifling any other time, but was a perfect backdrop to the cool calmness he could feel taking over his soul and leaving him in a stunned equilibrium.

The feeling was taken away all too soon when Rin sighed and slid from the bed, “Any preference?”

Bon shook his head, eyes still closed as he tried to savor those final moments of semi-permeable bliss. The weightless sensation was still present, though almost like an afterthought, something that he would never be physically aware of until he connected with that souldeep weight that was his soulmate. 

And at the feel of hands taking one of his own, Bon opened his eyes to be lost in stunning pools of blue. All those times he’d offhandedly noted Rin’s simplistic beauty were  _ nothing _ in comparison to how he shined at that moment. A demon with the face of an angel and blood tainted in hellfire, Rin was a force that Bon was only too happy to be paired with. An ironic thought considering his personal vendetta against the one who had provided half the DNA for his other half.

“You comin’?” Bon nodded mutely as he pushed himself off the bed. Rin’s beaming smile was contagious as he led Bon through the halls of his dorm and into the too large dining hall. 

Bon took in the empty rooms and tables with a cryptic eye, keeping silent at the overwhelming desolation of the building as he was pulled into a brightly lit kitchen. Bon was almost caught off guard by the warmth of the room compared to the rest of the dorm until he remembered just how much Rin loved to cook. 

And as the brunette was pushed into a stool at the island in the center of the kitchen, he was reminded of that simple fact. Rin moved about the kitchen with practiced ease, a hidden grace in his movements as he donned apron and spatula and set pans and pots to the glowing eyes of the stove. Soon the kitchen was teeming with the smell of sizzling bacon, crisp toast, and cheesy omelets.

And as a plate was thrust before Bon, his eyes wide at the array of food practically overflowing from the ceramic dish, the brunette could do nothing but utter a startled thanks. Rin’s grin threatened to overtake his face as he took a seat to Bon’s right, digging in after a quick prayer. Bon followed the demon’s example and didn’t fight the satisfied hum that worked it’s way up his throat at the ambrosia that was Rin’s cooking.

And from the excited thumping of Rin’s tail against his stool, he made the right choice.

“So…” Bon glanced up from where he was busy cutting into the masterpiece that was his omelet, crumbs from a piece of toast dotting his lips. Bon hummed in question as Rin chuckled, the raven quickly going back to his previous statement, “you should help me with my homework.”

Bon froze in cutting his omelet to give Rin a deadpanned look, the demon blushing in embarrassment as he nibbled on a piece of bacon, “It was kinda hard...more or less...please?”

Those eyes were in full force again and Bon didn’t have time to turn away before he was struck with their full intensity. Groaning in resignation, the brunette nodded and promptly ignored the cheer of triumph from his dining companion. Rin was lucky Bon had a soft spot for him…

* * *

 

“Well why don’t they just say that?!” Bon could only watch in stunned amusement as Rin practically breezed through his homework.

After figuring out what it was that had the demon so confused, Bon decided to approach the problem from another angle, one that Rin was sure to make a better connection to than the common drivel that was used in a classroom. And after applying real life situations to the homework problems and pointing out how the numbers and words associated with each other, Rin was working at a fluid pace that left Bon speechless. 

“Shouldn’t Yukio be helping you with this outside of class since he knows how much you’re struggling? Or at least assign you a tutor or something?” Bon couldn’t stop himself from asking, the question plaguing him as he connected the kind younger twin and his teaching career with his struggling older brother. But at the tensed shoulders and halt to a madly scribbling hand, Bon cursed himself for breaking the moment. As the brunette thought up a quick diversion, he was halted by Rin’s quiet spoken words.

“Learning’s always been kinda hard for me...and...it’s not really Yukio’s fault cause he doesn’t know.” Bon waited for Rin to elaborate, the demon sighing heavily a moment later. A pale hand rose to ruffle raven locks before it fell to Rin’s lap. “The letters would always get jumbled up. It took  _ years _ for me to learn how to read and write correctly and I still get mixed up with this new Exorcist vocabulary. And don’t even get me started on all these stupid equations!”

Rin’s growled words were coupled with his fingers gripping the edge of the coffee table before him. That didn’t last long as Rin then turned that anger on himself, muttering under his breath as he did so. Bon watched in mild horror as the demon began to tug at his hair with clawed nails, his hands automatically moving to stop Rin’s own.

“Rin!” The forceful tone stopped the raven in his tracks. Rin looked up through dark bangs and immediately felt himself calm at the concern he saw shining in Bon’s eyes. There was a tense moment of silence as Bon pulled Rin’s hands from his hair, setting them gently in his lap and holding them with his own. 

The warmth that passed from palm to palm was a necessary comfort for both, “Why didn’t you tell anybody?”

Bon’s hand was fast as it moved to intercept Rin’s chin, keeping those blue eyes locked with his own. He watched as Rin bit his lip, sharp canines digging into the pink skin before releasing it in a frustrated sigh.

“It’s hard enough without this.” Bon was struck by just how resigned Rin sounded at that moment, “Yukio’s been the twin that excels at school and anything academic and all I’m good at is fighting and make a mess of my life. Yukio shouldn’t have had to worry about me his entire life, but he  _ has _ . I’m the older brother and he had to carry a burden that I would  _ never _ understand, so…”

“I wanna show him I can do that, too.” 

Bon could’ve sworn he felt his heart break a little at the broken teen before him, suddenly picturing a child in place of the strong demon he had come to know. Which would probably explain why he breached that minimal amount of space between them and tugged Rin as close as physically possible. Bon would later blush as he remembered cradling the raven in his lap like a distraught child, but as he felt those arms wrap around him in vice like grip that threatened to break his back in its intensity, he knew it was completely worth it.

The pain seemed to bounce between them like an overactive tennis ball, Bon shaking at the onslaught of depression, self-loathing, and inner turmoil that reverberated through his core, leaving him empty and cold. It was only the shaking body in his arms that kept him grounded, Rin’s breaths deep and shuddering against his collarbone. 

And it was this moment, this clusterfuck of a situation that spawned from an innocent question, that Bon realized just how vital his position as Rin’s soulmate truly was. These emotions, stifling in their intensity, would drown any normal person before they had escalated to this point. But Rin- strong, stubborn, stupidly determined Rin- was able to withstand that onslaught of pain, that dreaded unknown, and come out, not unscathed, but alive and fighting and hoping. It was more than Bon could say he would react in an identical situation and that left the brunette feeling strangely inferior.

“It’ll be alright. Just breathe. I’m here now.” And as simple as those words were, they held a depth that neither teen was comfortable approaching, their relationship too new and unsteady. Bon held back a sigh of relief as Rin calmed in his arms, his breaths evening and arms loosening to a more comfortable grip. “You don’t have to do this alone anymore.”

“I know.” And Bon could hear the conviction in Rin’s tone, the understanding under the warbled words and found his resolve solidifying as he tightened his hold on the demon in his lap.

He would be damned before he left Rin to handle  _ any _ situation that bordered on stressful by himself.

* * *

 

“Favorite color?”

“Green.”

“Really?” Bon glanced at the demon at his side in wonder. He didn’t know what he would expect the answer to be, but green was definitely not it.

Rin’s answering shrug was followed by a sheepish grin, “It reminds me of life. Plants, Spring, neutral toned baby blankets.” The grin was now cheeky.

“Whatever, dumbass. Your turn.” Bon adjusted his arm under his head as Rin hummed beside him. The two had retired back to the demon’s dorm room, splayed along Rin’s bed in a tangled heap. 

“Hm, do you want kids?” Bon blinked at the question before piercing Rin with a hard stare. The demon was already facing him, blue eyes unblinking as they connected with his own. The stare was almost unnerving, but Bon could pick out the slight crinkle in Rin’s forehead that gave away his unease at the question. Bon smiled to hopefully ease the demon’s worry.

“Yeah. I’ve always wanted a daughter.” Bon was unprepared for the blinding grin he received in answer. And he  _ really _ wasn’t ready for Rin to practically tackle him and nearly knock him from the bed. As it was, the two were balancing precariously on the edge of the mattress. “You’re gonna kill us!”

“My bad~” Rin sounded completely insincere and Bon couldn’t fault him in the least as he readjusted them both on the bed. Rin was now comfortably spread along Bon’s chest with his chin resting an inch below his collarbone. “But I didn’t think you’d want any. I was kinda happy that you do.”

Bon rolled his eyes before running a hand through Rin’s hair, an action that had become strangely familiar throughout the day, “Yeah, yeah. As if I wouldn’t wanna raise a little badass in my image.”

“That’d be cute. Ya know, in a weird, parent conferences every day kinda way.” Rin’s arms were now crossed on Bon’s chest, his cheek resting against his forearms as his eyes closed, “Hm. I wish we could have a kid together.”

Bon didn’t have to think about the next words he said, “Yeah. I bet she’d have your eyes.” That earned the brunette a smile full of so much warmth it threatened to burn him on the spot.

“We’d have the cutest, angriest, daughter  _ ever _ . She’d whoop Renzo and Yukio’s kid’s ass!” Bon couldn’t help but laugh at the thought of a little brunette girl with blue eyes beating up a raven haired child with green eyes. For some reason, he imagined the girl with little, blue flaming ears sprouting from her head- like Rin in his demon form- and was shocked at how  _ okay _ he was with the image. How right it felt.

“Maybe we can find a surrogate when we’re ready.” Rin’s hands were on Bon’s cheeks faster than the brunette could comprehend, blue eyes boring into brown. Bon blinked at the bangs that brushed his eyelashes.

“You’re serious? Don’t mess with me on this.” Bon rolled his eyes at the serious tone before taking a chance and stretching his neck at a painful angle to connect his and Rin’s lips.

It wasn’t what he expected their first kiss to be like. He practically missed and the angle was terrible, but it ignited something so primal and  _ perfect _ in his body that he couldn’t deny the connection he and Rin shared. Not that he ever would.

Bon smiled as he allowed his head to fall back onto the pillow, smirking at the dazed look in blue eyes as one of Rin’s hands left his face to trace his lips, “Answer enough for you?”

Instead of answering verbally, Rin slowly leaned down until his lips ghosted over Bon’s. The brunette closed his eyes at the new sensations that bubbled deep in his chest, moving his lips slowly, searchingly, against Rin’s own. And as Rin pressed harder into Bon, the hand that once rested on his cheek delving into his multicolored mohawk for purchase, the brunette pushed back with equal force.

The kiss was everything and nothing like Bon imagined. The feelings were there, the aggression and urge to please on both sides, but what he didn’t plan for was the tenderness in questing fingers, the pull as they separated only to return a moment later, the  _ love _ .

The thought was both terrifying and exhilarating.

“God, why did this take so long?” Rin panted, forehead pressed firmly against Bon’s own as their breaths mingled. Bon found himself sharing similar thoughts as he continued to press gentle pecks along Rin’s cheeks, nose, and chin. And from the sounds Rin was making, he was enjoying the treatment. “Bon…”

“We’re both idiots.” That earned a chuckle from the demon, Bon smiling as he pressed a final kiss to Rin’s lips and relaxed into the mattress. 

The pair felt unbelievably light as they lay together, the calm of the moment lulling them into a peaceful sleep.

* * *

 

“ _ RIN! _ ”

The teens on the bed rolled onto the floor at the sudden shout, both groaning at the rough encounter with the floor as they looked up at the furious face of Yukio. The younger twin’s eyes were moving from his brother to Bon, his anger morphing from surprise, to concern, back to furious, and finally settling on relieved.

Bon could only watch in stunned silence as Yukio slumped back on his own bed with a sigh, his glasses tossed onto the desk at his bedside, “You both had me worried and it’s not like I can leave class to check on you. Renzo’s been calling you, Ryuji.”

Bon nearly smacked a hand into his forehead as he pulled his phone from his pocket and winced at the numerous missed calls and texts from his friends. He forgot he always puts it on silent before going to class. Quickly opening a message and sending an affirmative that ‘yes, he was alive’, Bon slid his phone back into his pocket. Rin had moved in the time it took for Bon to send the text, the demon now closer to Yukio’s bed with his chin resting on the mattress.

“Sorry for worryin’ you.” Bon watched as Yukio glanced at his brother, eyes squinted, before smiling. The smile did wonders for the strict teacher’s features, making him appear years younger than his usual frown. Bon shook those thoughts away as Yukio placed a hand on Rin’s head, not moving it, but holding it in the raven locks.

“Don’t worry me like that, Nii-san.” Bon watched with a small smile as Rin dove onto his brother and smothered his face into the younger twin’s chest. Yukio grunted at the initial weight but soon wrapped his arms around Rin’s shoulders and rested them on his back, “I would ask why Ryuji is here, but I’m almost afraid of the answer.”

“Aww, you don’t wanna hear about all the steamy sex we’ve been having on your side of the room?” At Yukio’s snort, Bon couldn’t hold back his laughter. He was soon joined by the dark haired brothers and their laughter echoed through the empty dorms. They settled after some time and Bon tried to discreetly make himself comfortable on Rin’s bed, lest he ruin whatever semblance of calm surrounded the mixed group.

“Don’t get too comfortably, Ryuji. I still don’t know why you’re here, nor for how long.” Bon froze as blue eyes, so like Rin’s but  _ not _ , met his own and froze him in place. While the looks he had been receiving from Rin throughout the day were filled with warmth, compassion, and the occasional flicker of something deeper, this one bordered on frigged with its unwavering intensity.

“Calm down, Yukio. He came to check on me and we’ve just hung out all day.” Bon felt the air trapped in his lungs leave in a stuttered ‘ _ whoosh _ ’ as those eyes were averted to an identical pair. Bon thanked whatever god was up there that Rin had such control over the situation because Bon’s genius brain was not cooperating at the moment. “He’s been really nice and everything! Even helped with my homework.”

“I’m surprised you skipped school to actually get an education.” Bon watched the two descend into a verbal squabble that was two parts ridiculous, and one part entertaining. They stopped soon enough, after Yukio  _ kindly _ pointed out how Rin’s grades were the lowest in Cram class, and an awkward silence fell upon the three.

Yukio sighed dramatically as he threw an arm over his eyes, “He’s not leaving tonight is he?”

“It is Friday.” Rin’s cheeky smile was in full effect as Yukio peeked under the sleeve of his exorcist uniform. Bon wanted to roll his eyes at the demon, but halted the action as he felt Yukio’s gaze slide to him. After another dramatic sigh, the younger twin’s arm flopped back onto the bed.

“He can stay,” Rin was caught in the process of jumping off Yukio when the younger twin grabbed his wrist. “ _ But _ , he’s staying in another room. There’s plenty to chose from.”

Yukio’s eyes found Bon’s at his last statement, and Bon nodded to keep the younger raven’s ire from growing. After receiving a nod and getting tackled by an over-enthusiastic Rin, Bon was practically dragged from the room and across the hall into an empty dorm. 

The setup was similar to Rin and Yukio’s own with the exception of one bed instead of two. Bon took the time to observe the rest of the room as Rin dug in the closet for sheets and a pillow, “Every room pretty much has everything it needs for the beds, and you know where the bathrooms are at this point, so no biggie there.” 

Bon hummed as he helped Rin put the sheets on the bed before they both collapsed on the mattress. Rin automatically rolled into Bon’s side and Bon’s arm moved to surround the demon’s shoulders. The position was so strangely familiar after just a day of being around each other that Bon found himself at a loss of how he ever lasted without Rin at his side. The thought was further proved when Rin tilted his head and pressed his lips against the pulse on Bon’s neck, a hum sounding from the brunette’s throat at the action.

“I’m gonna stay here tonight.” Bon quirked a brow at the demon, but Rin only grinned before jumping off the bed and racing across the hall. He returned soon enough, Yukio’s questions being cut off by the closing door, clothed in a t-shirt and sleeping pants, a pillow tucked under his arm. “Scooch or get hit!”

Bon rolled over just in time to avoid Rin crushing him, but was still accosted by the demon when he rolled over and threw an arm over his shoulders. “You have a problem…”

“You love me anyway.” Bon didn’t bother denying the truthful statement, wondering just when he had admitted to himself that he  _ did _ love the demon. Because it had been (what?) a day? Not even 24 hours and Bon was already trapped in a relationship built on intertwined souls and the inevitability of a happy life staring him in the face. 

Bon shook the circulating thoughts away as he focused on the demon that was trying to discreetly take up residence on his chest for the umpteenth time that day, “I do.”

“Hm?” Bon looked away from too blue eyes as they stared at him questioningly. His gaze instead fixed on the wall beside the bed, fingers tangling in the sheets beneath them.

“Love you. I do.” There was a tense silence before Bon felt Rin’s hands tracing up his chest to settle on his cheeks. The demon turned Bon’s head with little effort and the brunette found himself lost in those enchanting eyes and that mesmerizing smile.

“You’re too cute.” Bon felt a smidge of indignation build at the compliment. He was  _ manly _ dammit! Handsome or ruggedly good looking, he could deal with, but cute? Bon’s train of thought was cut off at the pair of lips that pressed against his own.

Bon responded as easily as breathing, lips contorting to Rin’s and pulling a soft sigh from the demon. It ended all too soon in Bon’s opinion, but upon seeing the dazed look in blue eyes and the flush that painted pale cheeks, Bon didn’t argue the abrupt end.

Bon blinked as Rin dropped his head, forehead resting against the brunette’s collarbone as he panted, “You’re killin’ me, Bon.”

“I highly doubt that.” Bon smiled as Rin chuckled, the puffs of air against his skin giving rise to goosebumps. The demon soon rolled off the brunette with some effort, hugging a pillow as he stared at Bon.

“I doubt you wanna sleep in your uniform.” 

“It’s either that or my boxers.” Bon chuckled at the glazed look that entered blue eyes at his words. Rolling his eyes at the distracted demon, Bon pulled off his uniform before throwing it in a crumpled heap on the floor. Rin was at his side the minute the clothes dropped, hands splayed along his back and cheek pressed against the skin above his heart. 

“So much better.” Bon sighed as he maneuvered them both under the covers, ignoring the lights that had yet to be cut off in exchange for  paying special attention to the fingers that were drawing random patterns on his chest. Rin hummed a random tune as he listened to the familiar thump of Bon’s heart under layers of muscle and skin. “You should turn the lights off.”

“As soon as you let me up.” Bon’s teasing tone was met with a dramatic sigh from Rin as the demon rolled to the side. Bon flicked off the lights before finding himself tugged  back into warm blankets with a veritable heater attached to his side. The brunette couldn’t be completely sure as he made himself comfortable in Rin’s arms, but it almost sounded like the demon was purring.

“Night, Bon.” Definitely purring. Bon smiled as he murmured a reply into Rin’s hair, the two drifting off soon after.

* * *

 

“I swear on every God in the sky if you’re both naked I’m gonna murder Ryuji!” Bon blinked the sleep from his eyes as the banging on the door grew to new heights, soon accompanied by the scratch of Kuro’s claws.

“Yukio, go die~” Bon chuckled sleepily at Rin’s slurred words, redoubling his efforts to ignore the raving twin on the other side of the door. Bon wondered how long it would take Yukio to realize the door was unlocked…

“Hey, Bon? You alive in there, buddy?” Bon groaned as Renzo’s voice joined the incessant banging from an angry Yukio. He heard the pinket try and calm the furious twin with little results before Bon decided it was time to end this charade of a morning.

The door was yanked open in time to avoid a bullet from one of Yukio’s faithful pistols, Bon lucky enough to be missed by the fiery projectile. There was a moment of tense silence as the three figures outside the dorm room took in the sight of a half-naked Bon with bed hair and dried drool lining his cheek.

“Are you quite done or can I go back to sleep?” Bon’s growled words were met with a glare from Yukio, a chuckle from Renzo, and the tickle of fur on his calves as Kuro ducked into the room.

“Boooooonn. It’s too early to deal with this.” Bon rolled his eyes as he peeked over his shoulder at Rin. The demon was reclined against the wall, Kuro mewling in his lap while Rin nodded lazily. The brunette opened his mouth to give the demon a quick retort before Yukio pushed past him and into the room.

“Why is he half-naked?” Bon sighed as he leaned against the doorway, Renzo taking residence parallel to him as they watched the twins argue like children. 

“So...soulmate?”

“Mhm.” 

“Huh...we probably should’ve seen this coming.” Bon shrugged with a crooked smile, happy to watch his raven whine and back his twin into a proverbial corner with the weapons he called eyes.

“Probably, but better late than never.” Renzo broke off into chuckles as Yukio collapsed on the bed before his twin. Kuro made quick work of his position and took up residence on the younger twin’s back, kneading the muscle with his claws. Rin just laughed.

“Dude.” Bon glanced at Renzo as the pinket grabbed one of his hands, practically jumping on the spot, “We can totally double date now!”

Bon chuckled at the ridiculous situations that could arise from that situation, but nodded nonetheless. Besides, it would be good for him and Rin to actually build onto their relationship beyond a day of being hermits. And as brown eyes caught blue, the laughter in those expressive eyes nearly drowning the brunette in their intensity, Bon couldn’t help but think they had already passed a number of personal boundaries and delved deeper into the enigma that was their bond. 

A bond that Bon could feel like the warmth of the sun or a calloused hand wrapped in his own, something that the brunette was only too happy to shelter and strengthen in the years to come.

 

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yo, thanks to the people that actually stuck around long enough to read this. I'm glad we could go on this journey together. Was it as good for you as it was for me? If not, then I'll try harder next time. But until then, drop a review or kudos. See you peeps later.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope everyone enjoyed this! Drop a kudos or comment and I'll get around to posting chapter 2 at some point~ Also, hella apologizes for any grammar mistakes, but I didn't feel like reading this over again to figure out if I dropped a comma in the right place or not. Either way, it's there, and see you guys next time~


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